Report: Suicides up, violent deaths downFAIRBANKS (AP) — Suicides are up in Alaska, but other violent deaths from both assaults and accidents are way down, according to a new report from the Alaska Division of Public Health. The study “Alaska Injury Surveillance Report” was created from data taken from the period 1980 to 2009. It found that the annual number of violent deaths from suicides, homicides and accidents has remained at about 500 deaths per ye...

New fears of invasive species on drill rig south of HomerKENAI (AP) — Although the Kang Sheng Kou heavy-lift vessel brought the Endeavour-Spirit of Independence jack-up rig to Cook Inlet waters from Singapore, the Endeavour rig might have carried its own unique cargo. Alaska Department of Fish and Game officials confirmed Wednesday they have been communicating with the rig's owner, Buccaneer Energy, about what organisms might have still been attached to the rig when it ...

Anchorage police officer shot in hotel gun battleANCHORAGE (AP) — A policeman wounded in a hotel shooting Thursday was among officers who returned gunfire and wounded the suspect, police officials said. The suspect was carried from the Merrill Field Inn on a stretcher after walking out of the room and being taken into custody. His name was not immediately released. Details remained sketchy, but Police Chief Mark Mew said the man appeared to be shot in both arms....

Japan gives $6 million to U.S., Canada for beach cleanupOn Monday, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda announced that his government will donate $6 million to clean up marine debris in Alaska, British Columbia and other West Coast states. Alaska’s share of the funding — expected to be $1 million — dwarfs the $50,000 grant the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in July it would give the state. The announcement came during Noda’s meeting with U.S. Se...

Mat-Su Borough tries to sell $80 million unused ferryANCHORAGE (AP) — The Mat-Su Borough’s fast ferry is going up for sale. The $80 million ferry Susitna was supposed to transport commuters from Anchorage to the Valley, but that never happened. In fact, the Anchorage Daily News says the ferry has never docked at the borough or sailed in Cook Inlet. And, Anchorage and the borough do not have the special docks needed for a ferry that could carry vehicles. In the meant...

Approaching ice temporarily forces Shell drill teams away from Arctic siteANCHORAGE (AP) — Royal Dutch Shell on Monday was moving its drill ship off a prospect in the Chukchi Sea, a day after drilling began 70 miles off the Alaska coast because sea ice was moving toward the vessel. Shell Alaska spokesman Curtis Smith tells The Associated Press that drilling was stopped for safety reasons. “As a precautionary measure and in accordance with our approved Chukchi Sea Ice Management Plan, Sh...

Distracted driver crashes car into Anchorage liquor storeANCHORAGE (AP) — A driver apparently got distracted and crashed her car into the side of an Anchorage liquor store. KTUU-TV says before the driver on Sunday crashed into the side of the Anchorage Wine House in south Anchorage, she took out a stop sign and a street sign. Store owner Talbot Chang says no employees were in the store at the time of the crash. He says one refrigerator and numerous bottles of alcohol we...

Shell starts drilling in Chukchi SeaANCHORAGE (AP) — More than four years after Royal Dutch Shell paid $2.8 billion to the federal government for petroleum leases in the Chukchi Sea, a company vessel on Sunday morning sent a drill bit into the ocean floor, beginning preliminary work on an exploratory well 70 miles off the northwest coast of Alaska. Drilling began at 4:30 a.m., said Shell Alaska spokesman Curtis Smith. Shell Alaska vice president Pet...

As more votes are counted, Ballot Measure 1 looks to passUpdated results from last week’s primary show a ballot measure concerning property taxes passing by a slim margin. Just 284 votes separated the two sides, with 58,014, or 50.1 percent, voting for Ballot Measure 1, and 57,730, or 49.9 percent, voting against it, according to unofficial results the state released Tuesday. The measure would make it legal for local governments to exempt the first $50,000 worth of a ho...

Municipality of Anchorage will pay $5.5 million to settle police rape lawsuitsANCHORAGE (AP) — The Municipality of Anchorage will pay more than $5.5 million to 11 women who claimed they were sexually assaulted by a police officer now serving 87 years in prison for rape, Mayor Dan Sullivan’s office announced Tuesday. The settlement ends the lawsuits against the city, but some of the victims plan to continue separate civil actions against former office Anthony Rollins. The individual settleme...